The Dallas Cowboys could not overcome the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. Jalen Carter was ejected before a single snap was even played. But the defending Super Bowl champions withstood his loss. And they can thank CeeDee Lamb in part for their season-opening victory.
Lamb was targeted 13 times against Philadelphia, and he did make some plays. The Cowboys star caught seven passes for 110 yards on the night. However, he dropped multiple passes, including one that could have extended their drive following the two-minute warning. Following the game, he did not shy away from responsibility for those drops.
“That’s terrible. I can’t point the finger at anybody else. I take full accountability and everything else that comes with it. As a player, I train for moments like that and the ball to come my way. I need to catch the damn ball,” Lamb said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota.
Cowboys let Eagles off the hook despite Jalen Carter ejection
The Eagles emerged victorious by a score of 24-20. However, it was far from an emphatic statement made by the defending champions. They had some issues on offense, for instance. And their run defense suffered without Carter on the field.
In the end, the Cowboys let their division rivals off the hook. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had just four incomplete passes all night. Dallas prevented any passing touchdowns in this Week 1 clash. However, Hurts rushed for two touchdowns, and neither came via the tush push.
Many of Philadelphia's most important plays came thanks to Hurts' legs. He rushed 14 times in this game, racking up 62 yards on the ground. He helped keep the Eagles offense operating just enough to close out this game.
Of course, the drops from Lamb did not help. While he was the most productive player on offense, one or two more catches would have given the Cowboys a better chance to win. He will need to clean this up before the Cowboys head into their Week 2 game at home against the New York Giants on September 14th.
